Simon's Town is a historic naval town on False Bay, with steep streets climbing the mountain behind St George's Street. Old buildings, the sea air and the mountain on the doorstep make for a very particular set of pest problems.
Simon's Town: what drives biting insects here
Bed bugs travel in with guests at B&Bs and guesthouses, and fleas show up where pets live. Quick action between bookings keeps rooms open.
The town sits between False Bay and the mountains of Table Mountain National Park, with Boulders and its penguin colony on the southern side. Winters are wet and windy, and the South-Easter blows hard in summer. The mountain edge brings rodents, baboons and insects, and the sea air keeps buildings damp.
Rats and mice from the mountain edge and harbour are the main issue. Fishmoths and wood borer show up in old, damp buildings. Bed bugs are a risk in guesthouses, and gulls and pigeons are constant along the waterfront.
How to tell you have a problem
- Nesting material, feathers and droppings visible at gaps in the fascia, under roof tiles or around the air conditioner.
- Birds seen flying in and out of the roof, gutters or eaves during the spring and early summer.
- A prickling, crawling sensation on the skin, often at night or while sitting near a particular wall or window.
- Tiny moving specks on window sills, bedding, white walls or the bathroom basin, especially near ceilings and light fittings.
- Symptoms that ease when you leave the house for a few days and return when you come back.
A note from the field
In flats and sectional title complexes, nests on a shared roof are usually a body corporate matter. Raising it early with the managing agent avoids months of bites for the top-floor units.
What happens when we come out
The single most important step is finding and removing the nest, because treating the bedroom while the source remains in the roof only gives temporary relief. Our technician goes into the roof void and around the eaves and gutters, bags and removes nesting material, and treats the nest site and surrounding timbers with a residual spray or insecticidal dust. Inside, we treat the affected rooms with a light residual spray along skirting, window frames, light fittings and around ceiling penetrations where the mites come through. We then recommend or carry out bird proofing, such as closing gaps with mesh or fitting spikes or netting, so new birds cannot move into the same spot. Because a few mites may emerge in the days after, we check back if symptoms continue.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our bird mite control service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Fit mesh or plastic closures under the first row of roof tiles and over gaps in fascia boards.
- Watch your roofline in spring; if you see pigeons or mynas going in and out of a gap, have it dealt with before they lay eggs.
- Do not feed pigeons near the house, as a reliable food supply keeps them nesting on your roof.
- Check air conditioning units, satellite dishes and solar panels, which create sheltered ledges birds love.
- Keep chicken coops well away from the house and treat them for mites regularly if you keep poultry.
How much will it cost?
The price depends mainly on how many nests there are, how easy the roof void and eaves are to get into, and how many rooms need treating inside. Bird proofing work such as mesh or spikes is quoted separately depending on the length of roofline and the materials needed. We give a free quote after inspection, and photos of the roofline sent via WhatsApp help us prepare.
Spraying the bedroom yourself might bring some relief, but it will not fix anything while the nest stays in the roof. Getting into roof voids and handling nests full of droppings and mites is not pleasant or particularly safe without the right protection. Our opinion is that this is one problem worth handing over, because the fix is mainly about finding and removing the source.
Bird Mite Control questions from Simon's Town
Do you come out to Simon's Town for bird mite control?
Yes. Simon's Town is part of our regular South Peninsula route, along with Glencairn, Fish Hoek, Scarborough. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Can bird mites live on me?
No, they cannot complete their life cycle on people and will die off within a few weeks without a bird host. They will keep biting while they search, which is why removing the nest is so important.
Can you treat old heritage buildings in Simon's Town without damaging them?
Yes, we choose methods that don't harm old timber, plaster or stonework, and we focus on proofing gaps carefully. We'll talk you through the plan before starting.
How do I know it is bird mites and not bed bugs?
Bird mites are tiny and fast and are often seen near windows and ceilings, while bed bugs are larger and hide in beds. Recent bird activity on the roof is a strong clue, and we can check both.
Do rats in Simon's Town come from the harbour or the mountain?
Both. Homes near the waterfront tend to get rats from the harbour, while houses higher up get them from the mountain slopes.
Do I need to remove the nest if the birds have already gone?
Yes. An empty nest is exactly when the mites go looking for new hosts, and the old nest also feeds other insects.
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